Mark Wood Faces Extended Layoff Due to Elbow Injury

Mark Wood revealed that he must stop picking up his children with his right arm due to a bone stress injury in his elbow. The 34-year-old fast bowler faces a challenging period, as he now has to sit out for the remainder of 2024 because of this injury. Wood hopes to return to the England squad in the new year but will undergo further tests in the coming days to assess the full extent of the damage.

In an interview with BBC’s Test Match Special, Wood stated, “There is nothing I can really do on my right side. I have been told to stop picking my kids up with my right arm. I have to do everything with my left.” He discovered his elbow issue last month during the Test series against Sri Lanka. Initially, a groin problem sidelined him.

However, subsequent scans revealed the elbow injury, which forced him to miss England’s Test tours of Pakistan and New Zealand this winter. Wood, who underwent elbow surgery in 2022 has established himself as a vital part of England’s bowling attack, renowned for his extreme pace which plays a crucial role as the team looks ahead to regaining the Ashes in Australia in 2025-26.

Reflecting on the situation, Mark Wood described it as a “bizarre injury.” He had initially sought a scan due to a stiff elbow, thinking he might need an injection for his groin injury, but the scan revealed concerning results regarding his elbow. Wood explained, “They said I have some bone stress in my elbow, and I must have been playing with it.”

Medical professionals expressed concern about a potential stress fracture, prompting Wood to see a specialist soon for further evaluation.